Greyscale Delisted For Life, What Now?
by skytroops
Summary: Pika is just another Pikachu. Nothing special to her in the slightest. She isn't the strongest, nor quickest of her kind, but to her trainer, she is completely irreplaceable. [Fanfiction of the life of Pika; an important Pokémon to a breeder OC. Later chapters will involve darker themes and canon/oc.]


"Thank you for bringing that Chikorita at such short notice, Eric. I seriously don't know what I would have done without your help." Professor Elm sighed with relief as he and Eric exited the laboratory. "I got so caught up in the new findings about how Nidorina and Nidoqueen are infertile that I completely forgot to write up a request-!"

The professor had called the ranch just a couple of hours earlier, begging Eric for help in finding one of the grass starter Pokémon before the day's end. And thankfully, Winnie; Eric's wife; had pointed out that they had a clutch that hatched not too long ago and one of those were perfect to be a new trainer's first Pokémon. To get to New Bark Town before the sun went down, Eric had to take his Rapidash; Flashfire; to get there, but he had made it in plenty of time.

"It's nothin'," Eric smiled and waved a hand dismissively. "ah'm just glad yae came tae me befur it wiz too late. It wid hiv been a shame if wan eh those kids went waeoot a starter Pokémon tomorrow." He reached behind his head and gave the back of his neck a scratch.

"Ah cannae blame yae fur bein' caught up wae 'hings. It's gonna be ma youngest son's fourth birthday next week 'n ah'm daein' ma best tae 'hink eh wit tae get 'im."

"Your youngest son?" Elm cocked up a brow, taking a moment to think. Eric could see that the other man seemed confused at the speak of two sons. Many of the people that knew Eric and his family were still adjusting to that fact.

To be honest, so was he. For three years, he and Winnie had a son and a _daughter_, not two sons. There had always been something **different** about their littlest child, but he and his wife never expected they would end up with a child that didn't like being in their own body.

"Oh! You mean Skye?" Professor Elm asked finally.

"Aye,"

"He's turning four already?" Elm adjusted his glasses with a smile. "He must be getting pretty big since I saw him last. Soon enough, he'll be going out on his own Pokémon journey. Has he gotten over his speech trouble yet?"

Eric felt his shoulders sag. "Naw," he sighed. "no yet. He's still as quiet as ever. Still does dat wee squeaky sound whenever yae talk tae 'im. He talks sometimes, but it's not common fur 'im tae do it.

Last time he talked, he wiz shoutin' at me becuz ah accidentally called 'im a girl." Eric wasn't going to mention that he got his butt kicked by his son for it as well as being screeched at.

"Really," the professor laughed a little. "I'm sure he'll be a _chatterbox_ by the time he turns five, just you wait."

Eric nearly laughed. Skye? A chatterbox? Yeah, he'd believe that Pokémon are able to speak English before he'd believe that.

"Ah'd better get goin' befur da misses 'hinks ah'm no comin' back fur dinner." Eric held out a hand to his friend and Elm shook it firmly.

"Thank you again." He said happily before saying their goodbyes to each other and parted ways. As Eric fumbled with the bottom of his jacket for Flashfire's Pokéball, he heard a shaky voice call out to him. Looking up, he saw a neatly dressed elderly woman waving towards him from her front gate at the other side of the street.

"Mr. Hunter!" She called again.

"Hello, Miss Monroe." Eric greeted when he reached her. The old woman grinned brightly at him. "Hivnae seen yae in a while. How hiv yae been? Ah wiz just aboot tae head back hame."

Miss Monroe's smile widened. "I've been just fine, maybe a little more shaky in the legs, but that isn't going to slow me down anytime soon." She straightened her posture and fixed the front of her gown before speaking again.

"I was just out to make sure my roses were watered and I couldn't help but overhear that your little Skye is going to be turning four next week. Time flies, doesn't it? I remember when my own son turned four. Though, I remember when he turned forty too. . ."

She slowly blinked, making Eric feel that he might be here a while. Miss Monroe was one of those elderly ladies that could make a small conversation into an hour long discussion with no effort whatsoever and he really should be heading home.

"You said something about not knowing what to get him, yes?" She asked finally. Eric gave her a quick 'uh - huh' in response. Her smiled grew bigger once again. "I think I might know what to give him. His favourite Pokémon is Pikachu, isn't it? I know he just loves to play with my own Pikachu whenever you come around with him."

It was Eric's turn to blink. Yes, Skye's favourite Pokémon was indeed Pikachu. He adored those little yellow mice more than anything in the world. Where was she going with this? Was she trying to give him advice? She was giving him ideas. Maybe a Pikachu plush? Wait, would Skye deem that too girly? Soft toys were more for girls than boys, and Skye wanted to make it known he was a boy.

"Well," Miss Monroe took in a long deep breath. "you see, my Pikachu had a litter not a short time ago and sadly, I don't have enough room for her little ones anymore. I don't want to release them into the wild, so I've been looking for people to adopt them to loving homes and. . .

I'd like it if you took one of them and give it to your son for his birthday."


End file.
